About

The Environmental Quality Board (EQB) is considering changes to the Environmental Review Program to address climate change. EQB identified climate change as an important issue facing Minnesota and made it the main organizing focus for the biennial work plan. Additionally, Governor Walz directed ‘‘state government [to] work across the enterprise in a coordinated approach to develop equitable strategies that will mitigate climate change and achieve greater resilience.”

Currently, environmental review documents do not include information about a project’s greenhouse gas emissions and the relationship between climate change and other environmental impacts in a systematic way. EQB members are proposing changes that would help project proposers, decisions makers, and members of the public identify opportunities to:

• Clarity, certainty, and efficiency for decision makers and project proposers
• Consider the effects of climate change on proposed projects
• Reduce greenhouse gas emissions
• Integrate climate adaptation and resiliency measures
• Improve environmental outcomes

Project materials

• July 2021: Revised recommendations presented to the ERIS
• January-April 2021: Summary and content of engagement results on draft recommendations (January-April 2021):
  • Written feedback
  • Listening sessions (Recordings: March 17, 2021; March 27, 2021)
  • Surveys
  • Interviews
• December 2020: Draft Recommendations: Integrating Climate Information into MEPA Program Requirements presented to Environmental Review Implementation Subcommittee (ERIS)

Stay up to date

Sign up for the Climate Change and Environmental Review list to receive emails about this project.

Contact

For more information, contact Denise Wilson.